NHTSA Complaint #10511315 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

SLIDING & LEANING BACK TO ADAPT TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, THE VERY COMFORTABLE AND ELECTRICALLY ADJUSTABLE DRIVERS SEAT LISTED TO THE RIGHT AND SLIGHTLY ROTATED TO THE RIGHT. NOW, SITTING ON AN ANGLE AS IF THE CAR IS ON A HILL I CONTINUE DRIVING. I EVENTUALLY GOT A FLASHLIGHT AND WHILE PARKED AND RESTING MY HEAD ON THE FLOOR MAT I COULD SEE THE RUSTED BAR THAT RUNS HORIZONTAL TO THE SEAT AND WELDED ON THE LEFT SIDE NEXT TO THE DRIVERS DOOR, IS HANGING ON THE RIGHT SIDE DROPPED BELOW WHERE THE WELD WAS HOLDING IT; I IMAGINE IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN SINCE I SEE HALF A CIRCUMFERENCE REMAINING BEHIND THE DROPPED BAR. I CAN LIFT THE BAR BACK TO THE REMAINING HALF WELD, AND WHEN I LET GO IT DROPS BACK DOWN MOVING THE SEAT SNUG WITH THE CENTER CONSOLE. I WAS TOLD BY A COMPANY THAT WELDING IT WOULD NOT BE WISE AND WOULD PUT THEM IN JEOPARDY IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A NEW FRAME WOULD BE ABOUT $600, THEN ADD LABOR; WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROX. $900+. YES, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID ON WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM IT'S A SHAME NO RECALL, BUT AFTER 140K MILES... GUESS I'LL ASK IF I SHOULD USE WD-40 ON THE BAR AFTER INSTALL. SINCE THIS IS THE ONLY ELECTRIC SEAT IN THE CAR I DON'T EXPECT THE OTHER SEATS TO BE EFFECTED. *TR